Article dispensing apparatus



April 10, 1962 A. w. HOLSTEIN ARTICLE DISPENSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30, 1959 WHHHHHHIII April 10, 1962 A. w. HOLSTEIN ARTICLE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed June so, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent I Vendors, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed June 30, 1959, Ser. No. 824,043 22 Claims. (Cl. 221-112) This invention relates to article dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to such an apparatus for use in machines for vending packs of cigarettes or the like.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an apparatus for dispensing articles, such as packs of cigarettes, which for its size is adapted to hold a relatively large number of articles; the provision of an apparatus for dispensing articles, such as packs of cigarettes, one at a time from a compartment holding a plurality of stacks of articles, wherein articles are successively delivered from successive stacks, as distinguished from the type of dispensing wherein the supply in one stack is exhausted before dispensing occurs from another stack; and the provision of an apparatus such as described wherein dispensing is manually effected by means of a pull-out rod. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cigarette pack dispensing apparatus of this invention, shown without any packs therein;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus, with parts broken away and shown in section, and showing packs in the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 44 of FIG. 3, illustrating in dotted lines a moved position of parts; and,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragments of FIG. 4 illustrating further moved positions of parts.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawmgs.

Referring to the drawings, a cigarette pack dispensing apparatus of this invention is shown to comprise a sheet metal base plate 1 having upstanding front and rear flanges 3 and 5. Mounted on the base plate is a magazine 7 providing a compartment for holding a plurality of stacks of packs of cigarettes each of which is designated P. As shown, there are three such stacks, designated S1, S2, S3. All the packs are the same size (kingsize packs, as illustrated). The magazine 7 comprises vertical left and right side walls 9 and 11, the terms left and right being used in reference to the apparatus as viewed from the front. The side walls may be made of sheet metal. They extend in front-to-rear direction, being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of one pack P. The front-to-rear dimension of the maga zine (for the three-stack arrangement herein illustrated) is equal to three times the length of a pack P. The height of the magazine may be as desired.

Each side wall has an outwardly directed bottom flange 13 by means of which it may be spot-welded on base plate 1. Each side wall also has an inturned vertical rear flange 15, these flanges 15 defining the rear of the magazine. At the front of the magazine is a door 17 pivoted at its upper end to the side walls as indicated at 19. This door is adapted to be swung upward away from a vertical position in which it closes the front of the magazine to enable packs P to be loaded in the magazine from the front. Suitable means such as the spring latches indicated at 21 may be provided for latching the door in closed position. The magazine 7 is spaced rearward from the front base plate flange 3, and between the latter and the front of the magazine is an opening 20 through which packs ejected from the magazine drop. Any suitable means may be provided for guiding the ejected pack to drop through opening 20, such as the curved guide Plate 20a appearing in FIGS. 1-3.

Mounted on the inside of side walls 9 and 11 adjacent but spaced above the base plate 1 are left and right horizontal rails 23 and 25 made of sheet metal. Between the side walls, each rail is of channel shape in cross section, with its web spot-welded to the respective wall. Thus, rail 23 has upper and lower flanges 27 and 29, and rail 25 has upper and lower flanges 31 and 33. The upper rail flanges 27 and 31 are coplanar in a horizontal plane. Each is narrower than the spacing of side walls 9 and 11 so that there is a slot 35 between their inner edges extending centrally as regards the walls from the rear to the front of the magazine 7. The upper rail flanges 27 and 31 constitute laterally spaced ledges for supporting the stacks S1, S2 and S3 with the bottom packs of these stacks, specially designated P1, P2 and P3 aligned end-toend in a row from the front to the rear of the magazine. Stack S1 is the front stack of the three, S2 is the intermediate stack, and S3 is the rear stack. Accordingly, pack P1 is the forward pack of the three bottom packs, P2 is the intermediate pack, and P3 is the rearward pack.

The upper and lower flanges 27 and 29 of the left rail 23 and the upper flange 31 of the right rail 25 have the same width, but the lower flange 33 of the right rail 25 is wider than the other flanges, so that there is a slot 37 between the inner edges of the lower flanges 29 and 33 which is narrower than the slot 35 between the upper flanges and which is nearer the left side wall 9' than the right side wall 11. The webs and lower flanges of the rails extend rearward from the side walls, but the upper flanges or ledges 27 and 3-1 terminate slightly to the rear, of the rear edges of the side walls. When the door 17 is closed, its lower edge 39 is above the bottom pack P1 of the front stack S1 but below the top of the second pack of stack S1, thereby providing an exit opening 41 at the front of the magazine through which packs may slide out of the magazine off the ledges 27 and 31. The rear magazine flanges 15 are cut out as indicated at 43 to provide a full-width rear magazine opening immediately above the ledges 27 and 31, adapted for entry of a pusher head to be described.

A block 45 having a width slightly less than the width of the slot 37 between the lower rail flanges 29 and 33 is mounted for sliding movement forward and rearward in sot 37, being supported by means of lateral pins 47 slidable on the upper surfaces of these flanges and held against tipping by a lateral pin 49 engageable with the bottom surfaces of these flanges. The bottom of the block is spaced above the base plate 1 and the top of the block is below the level of the upper rail flanges or ledges 27 and 31. The block 45 is biased rearward to what may be termed in its initial position (in which it is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) as by means of a cable 51 connected at 53 to the block and wound around the drum 55 of a spring reel 57. This initial position of the block is determined by its engagement with a stop 59 spot-welded on rail flanges 29 and 33 rearward of the magazine 7. The block is adapted to be moved forward from its initial position in three steps, each step having a length corresponding to the length of a pack P (the dimension of the pack lengthwise of the row of packs on ledges 27 and 31), to an advanced position, and then to be returned to initial position by the spring reel 57 acting through the cable 51.

A pack pusher 61 is pivoted at 63 on the light side of the block 45 for swinging movement in the central vertical longitudinal plane of slot on a horizontal axis above the lower rail flanges 29 and 33. This pusher extends forward from pivot 63, being angled upward in forward direction, and has a head 65 at its forward end. This head 65 is wider than the slot 35. A spring 67 connected between a spring stud 69 on the right side of the block and a rearwardly extending arm 71 on the pusher biases the pusher to swing in clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6 to an operative articlepushing position wherein pusher head 65 is raised above the level of ledges 27 and 31 (see FiGS. 2 and 4). This raised position is determined by engagement of arm 71 with stud 69 and is such that, upon forward movement of block 4-5 from its initial rearward position, pusher head 65 enters the magazine 7 through the opening at 43 and engages the rearward end of the bottom pack P3 of stack S3 (the trailing pack of the three bottom packs) to push packs P3, P2 and P1 forward. When the block 45 is in its initial position, pusher head is located slightly rearward of the magazine at the level of opening 43 and the row of packs P3, P2, P1 (see FIGS. 2 and 4).

At 73 is indicated a driver for the block 45 and pusher 61, constituted by a rod reciprocable in forward and rearward direction through a stroke the length of which corresponds to the length of a pack P. This driver or rod 73 extends under the block 45, being slidable back and forth in holes 75 and 77 in the front and rear base plate flanges 3 and 5. A knob 79 is fixed on the forward end of the rod engageable with the front flange 3 to limit the rearward movement of the rod, and a collar 81 is fixed on the rear end of the rod to limit the forward movement of the rod. The rod is biased rearward to the rearward limit of its stroke by means of a spring 83, one end of which is attached to the rearward end of the rod and the other end of which is attached to a bracket 85 extending rearward from rear flange 5. The rod is shown in its rearward retracted position at the rear end of its stroke in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. The rod is adapted to be pulled forward from its retracted position a distance corresponding to the length of a pack P to the point where collar 81 engages rear flange 5 by pulling out the knob 79. On release of the knob, spring 83 pulls the rod back i to its retracted position.

Means is provided for effecting a one-way connection between the pusher block 45 and the driver or rod 73 for advancing the block 45 (and pusher 61) one step upon reciprocation of the rod, and allowing return of ward from its pivot 89, and its rearward end is adapted for engagement in any one of three annular grooves G1, G2 and G3 in the rod. These grooves are spaced at intervals along the length of the rod corresponding to the length of a pack P. Groove G1 is the rearward groove of the three, G2 is the intermediate groove, and G3 is the forward groove. Each groove is a relatively wide groove, formed to provide a forwardly facing vertical shoulder 91 at the side of the groove toward the rearward end of the rod, and a tapered wall 93 at the side of the groove toward the forward end of the rod. The grooves are so positioned with respect to the length of the rod that. when the rod and block 45 are in their rearward position of FIG. 4, dog 87 is in the rearward groove G1. The dog is gravity-biased to swing down toward the rod 73.

Means is provided for latching the block 45 (and pusher 61) in successively forwardly advanced positions spaced at intervals corresponding to the length of a pack P. This means comprises a latch 95 pivoted at 97 on the right side of block 45 for swinging movement in the vertical plane of the dog 87. The latch extends rearward from its pivot 97 over a forwardly extending arm 99 on the dog 87. It has an upwardly extending tooth 101 adapted to enter any one of three notches N1, N2, N3 in the lower flange 33 of the right-hand rail 25. These notches are spaced at intervals corresponding to the length of a pack P along the length of flange 33. Notch N1 is the rearward notch of the three, N2 is the intermediate notch, and N3 is the forward notch. The notches are so located that, when block 45 is in its rearward position, tooth 101 on latch 95 is adapted to move up into the rearward notch N1. Latch 95 has a laterally offset finger 103 extending up through slot 37. A spring 105 connected between pusher 61 and finger 103 biases the latch to swing upward to latching position. Pusher 61 has a finger 107 engageable with latch finger 103 when pusher 61 swings down to its lowered position to swing the latch down to the lowered retracted position in which it is shown in FIG. 6 wherein tooth 101 is below flange 33.

Starting with block 45 and pusher 61 in the initial rearward position in which they are illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, successive operations of rod 73 result in the block 45 being advanced forward in steps, the length of each step corresponding to the length of a pack P. The first operation of rod 73 advances the block one such step, the block being latched in its advanced position by engagement of latch tooth 101 in notch N2. The second operation of rod 73 advances the block another such step, the block being latched in the advanced position by engagement of latch tooth 101 in notch N3. The third operation of rod 73 advances the block a third such step to an advanced position wherein pusher head 65 is slightly forward of the forward ends of ledges 27 and 31 (slightly forward of its FIG. 5 position).

Means is provided operable on the pusher 61 as the pusher head approaches its fully advanced position for swinging the pusher downward to its lowered retracted position wherein the pusher head 65 is below the ledges 27 and 31, and for disabling the latch 95 so that the block 45 and pusher 61 are returned to retracted position by the spring reel 57. This means comprises a pair of spring cam fingers such as indicated at 109 in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6 mounted in the rails 23 and 25 adjacent their forward ends engageable by a crossbar 111 on the pusher 61 for swinging the pusher downward as the pusher nears the front of the magazine 7. As the pusher swings downward, pusher head 65 swings down in front of the forward ends of ledges 27 and 31 to a position below these ledges and clear of the stacks S1, S2, S3 (compare FIGS. 5 and 6) and then the block '45 is pulled back rearward. The pusher 61 is held against swinging back up during its return movement by engagement of pusher head 65 with the bottoms of ledges 27 and 31. With the pusher 61 held down, latch 95 is held down in released position by engagement of finger 107 on the pusher with finger 103 on the latch, so that latch tooth 101 is held against entering notches N3 and N2 as the block returns to retracted position, Also, with the latch 95 held down in released position, dog 87 is held up clear of rod 73 (see FIG. 6).

Operation is as follows:

Assuming that the magazine 7 is full, the bottom packs P1, P2, P3 of the three stacks S1, S2 and S3 lie in a row extending in front-to-rear direction on ledges 27 and 31 at the bottom of the magazine. Assuming that the block 45 is in its initial position of FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, pusher 61 is raised, latch 95 is raised, latch tooth 101 is positioned in rearward notch N1, and dog 87 is down in rearward groove 61. 7

When rod 73 is then pulled forward (to the left as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4), shoulder 91 of rearward groove G1 engages the dog 87 and the block 45 is driven forward. Latch 95 is driven downward by the camming action of the forward edge of notch N1 on latch tooth 101, the tooth being shaped to provide for such cam action. As the block 45 moves forward, pushcr 61 moves,

forward with the block, and pusher head 65 engages the rearward end of the rearward bottom pack P3 and pushes packs P3, P2 and P1 forward. Pack P1 is ejected through exit opening 41 at the front of the magazine '7, tips over and falls through opening 20 in the base plate 1. Pack P2 comes into position at the bottom of stack S1 and pack P3 comes into position at the bottom of stack S2. Rod 73, block 45 and pusher 61 move forward one pack length, at which point latch tooth 101 snaps into the second notch N2 to hold block 45 and pusher 61 in a first intermediate position spaced one pack length for- Ward from their initial position. Rod 73 is then released, and returns to its retracted position under the return bias of spring 83 without disturbing the block 45. During such return of the rod 73, dog 87 is simply cammed out of groove G1 by the tapered Wall 93 of groove G l. Then the dog 87 drops into the second groove G2.

The next time the rod 73 is pulled forward, shoulder 91 of groove G2 engages the dog 87 and the block 45 is driven forward. Latch 95 is driven downward by the camming action of the forward edge of notch N2 on latch tooth 101. Pusher 61 moves forward with the block and pusher head 65 resumes the pushing forward of original packs P3 and P2. Pack P2 is ejected through opening 41 at the front of the magazine 7. Pack P3 comes into position at the bottom of stack S1. Rod 73, block 45 and pusher 61 move forward one pack length, at which point latch tooth 101 snaps into the third notch N3 to hold block 45 and pusher 61 in a second intermediate position spaced two pack lengths forward from their initial position. This second intermediate position of block 45 and pusher 61 is illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 4. Rod 73 is then released and is returned to its retracted position by spring 83. During the return of the rod, dog 87 is cammed out of groove G2 by the tapered wall 93 of groove G2. Then the dog 87 drops down into groove G3 (as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4).

The next time the rod 73 is pulled forward, shoulder 91 of groove G3 engages the dog 87 and the block 45 is driven forward. Latch 95 is driven downward by the camming action of the forward edge of notch N3 on latch tooth 101. Pusher 61 moves forward with block 45 and pusher head 65 resumes the pushing forward of original pack P3. Pack P3 is ejected through opening 41 at the front of the magazine 7. It will be understood that as the pusher originally moved out from under stack S3, stack S3 drops down onto the ledges 27 and 31. Similarly, as the pusher moves forward from under stack S2, stack S2 drops down onto the ledges 27 and 31. Then when the pack P3 is ejected, stack S1 drops down onto the ledges 27 and 31. This provides three fresh packs P1, P2 and P3 in a row on ledges 27 and 31.

As the pusher 61 approaches the front of the magazine 7, crossbar 111 on the pusher engages the cams 109, and the pusher is thereby swung downward (counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5) to a lowered position wherein the pusher head 65 is below ledges 27 and 31 but above the flanges 29 and 33 (see FIG. 6). Ledges 27 and 31 terminate somewhat short of the front of the magazine to enable the pusher head 65 to swing down to the stated lowered position of FIG. 6 around the forward ends of the ledges. As pusher 61 swings downward, finger 109 on the pusher engages finger 103 on latch 95 and pushes the latch down to its lowered retracted position illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein the latch tooth 10 1 is held down below the flange 33. As the latch 95 is pushed down, it in turn engages the arm 99 of the dog 87, and swings the dog upward to the raised position in which it is shown in FIG. 6 clear of the shoulders 91 on rod 73. Thereupon, the block 45 and pusher 61 are pulled back to their initial position of FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 by the spring reel 57 acting through the cable 51. As the block and pusher return to the initial position, the pusher is held down below ledges 27 and 31 clear of the bottom packs by engagement of pusher head 65 with the bottoms of the ledges. The latch is held down against snapping up into either of notches N3 or N2 by the pusher, and the dog 87 is held up against dropping into any of the grooves G3, G2, G1 in the rod 73 by the latch. When: the pusher head 65, moving rearward, comes out from under ledges 27 and 31 at their rearward ends, pusher 61 is swung back up to its raised position by the action of spring 67. This releases latch 95 to allow it to swing upward for entry of latch tooth 101 in the rearward notch N1, and releases the dog 87 to allow it to drop down into the rearward groove G1 of the rod 73, the latter in the meantime having been released for return to its retracted position under the bias of return spring 83. Thus, the parts are returned to initial position in readiness for the dispensing of the next three packs lined up in a row on ledges 27 and 31, the operations upon the dispensing of the next three packs being the same as above described.

While the apparatus is above described as it pertains to the dispensing of packs of cigarettes, it will be understood that the apparatus is adaptable to dispensing articles in general, requiring only changes in dimensions related to the size of the'articles to be dispensed. It will also be understood that the principles of the invention as above described are applicable to constructions holding more than three stacks of articles, or even to a construction holding two stacks of articles. The three-stack construction holds a relatively large number of articles (cigarette packs in particular) without being of undue depth from front-to-rear.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Article dispensing apparatus comprising means for supporting a plurality of stacks of articles with the bottom articles of the stacks aligned in a row on said supporting means, a pusher for pushing the bottom articles in one direction lengthwise of said supporting means, and means reciprocable through a stroke for advancing said pusher stepwise from an initial position at one end of said supporting means to successively advanced intermediate positions spaced at intervals corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and thence to a fully advanced position at the other end of said supporting means, and means for releasably holding said pusher in said intermediate positions.

2. Article dispensing apparatus comprising means for supporting a plurality of stacks of articles with the bottom articles of the stacks aligned in a row on said supporting means, a pusher for pushing the bottom articles in,

one direction lengthwise of said supporting means, and means including a driver reciprocable through a stroke corresponding in length to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row for advancing said pusher stepwise from an initial position at one end of said supporting means to successively advanced intermediate positions spaced at intervals corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and thence to a fully advanced position at the other end of said supporting means, and means for releasably holding said pusher in said intermediate positions.

3. Article dispensing apparatus comprising a magazine including laterally spaced ledges for supporting a plurality of stacks of articles with the bottom articles of the stacks aligned in a row on said ledges, a pusher adapted to occupy a position extending upward between said ledges for pushing bottom articles lengthwise of said ledges, and means reciprocable through a stroke for advancing said pusher in article-pushing direction stepwise from an initial position at one end of said ledges to successively advanced intermediate positions spaced at intervals corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and thence to a fully advanced position at the other end of said ledges and means for releasably holding said pusher in said intermediate positions.

4. Article dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said advancing means includes a driver reciprocable parallel to the ledges through a stroke corresponding in length to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row.

5. Article dispensing apparatus comprising means for supporting a plurality of stacks of articles with the bot tom articles of the stacks aligned in a row on said supporting means, a pusher for pushing bottom articles in one direction lengthwise of said supporting means, means for advancing said pusher in said one direction stepwise from an initial position at one end of said supporting means to successively advanced intermediate positions spaced at intervals corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and thence to a fully advanced position at the other end oi said supporting means, means for releasably holding said pusher in said intermediate positions, and means responsive to movement of the pusher to its fully advanced position for returning it to initial position.

6. Article dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said advancing means includes a rod adapted to be pulled out from a retracted position a distance corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and returned to retracted position.

7. Article dispensing apparatus comprising a magazine including laterally spaced ledges for supporting a plurality of stacks of articles with the bottom articles of the stacks aligned in a row on said ledges, a pusher adapted to occupy a position extending upward between said ledges for pushing bottom articles in one direction lengthwise of said ledges, means for advancing said pusher in said one direction stepwise from an initial position at one end of said ledges to successively advanced intermediate positions spaced at intervals corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and thence to a fully advanced position at the other end of said ledges, means for releasably holding said pusher in said intermediate positions, and means responsive to movement of the pusher to its fully advanced position for returning it to initial position.

8. Article dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said advancing means includes a rod below and parallel to the ledges adapted to be pulled out from a i retracted position a distance corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and returned to retracted position.

9. Article dispensing apparatus comprising means for supporting a plurality of stacks of articles with the bottom articles of the stacks aligned in a row, a pusher for pushing bottom articles in one direction lengthwise of said supporting means, means reciprocable through a stroke for advancing said pusher in said one direction stepwise from an initial position at one end of said supporting means to successively advanced intermediate positions spaced at intervals corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and thence to a fully advanced position at the other end of said supporting means, means for releasably holding said pusher in said intermediate positions, and means for moving the pusher to a position clear of the stacks when the pusher reaches its advanced position and then returning it to initial position.

10. Article dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said advancing means comprises a driver reciprocable through a stroke the length of which corresponds to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row, and means for effecting a one-way connection between said pusher and driver for advancing said pusherone step upon movement of the driver in one direction and allowing return of the driver in the opposite direction without return of the pusher. 7

ll. Article dispensing apparatus comprising a maga- Zine including laterally spaced ledges for supporting a plurality of stacks of articles with the bottom articles of the stacks aligned in a row on said ledges, a pusher adapted to occupy a position extending upward between said ledges for pushing bottom articles in one direction lengthwise of said ledges, means for advancing said pusher in said one direction in steps corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row from an initial position at one end of said ledges to an advanced position at the other end of said ledges, and means for moving the pusher to a position below the ledges when the pusher reaches its advanced position and then returning it to initial position.

12. Article dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said advancing means comprises a rod below and parallel to said ledges adapted to be pulled out from a retracted position a distance corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and returned to retracted position, and means for effecting a one-way connection between said pusher and rod for advancing said pusher one step on pulling out said rod and allowing return of the rod to retracted position without return of the pusher.

13. Article dispensing apparatus comprising means for supporting a plurality of stacks of articles with the bottom articles of the stacks aligned in a row, a pusher for pushing bottom articles in one direction lengthwise of said supporting means, means for advancing said pusher in said one direction in steps corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row from an initial position at one end of said supporting means to an advanced position at the other end of said supporting means, means for latching the pusher in successively advanced intermediate positions spaced at intervals corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and means for moving the pusher to a position clear of the stacks and disabling said latching means when the pusher reaches its advanced position and then returning the pusher to initial position.

14-. Article dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said advancing means comprises a driver reciprocable through a stroke the length of which corresponds to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row, and means for effecting a one-way connection between said pusher and driver for advancing said pusher one step upon movement of the driver in one direction and allowing return of the driver in the opposite direction without return of the pusher, said one-way connection means being disabled by the pusher upon movement of the pusher to its position clear of the stacks.

15. Article dispensing apparatus comprising a magazine including laterally spaced ledges for supporting a plurality of stacks of articles with the bottom articles of the stacks aligned in a row in said ledges, a pusher adapted to occupy a position extending upward between said ledges for pushing bottom articles in one direction lengthwise of said ledges, means for advancing said pusher in said one direction in steps corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row from an initial position at one end of said ledges to an advanced position at the other end of said ledges, means for latching the pusher in successively advanced intermediate positions spaced at intervals corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and means for moving the pusher to a position below the ledges and disabling said latching means when the pusher reaches its advanced position and then returning the pusher to initial position.

16. Article dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said advancing means comprises a rod below and parallel to said ledges adapted to be pulled out from a retracted position a distance corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row and returned to retracted position, and means for effecting a one-way connection between said pusher and rod for advancing said pusher one step on pulling out said rod and allowing return of the rod to retracted position without return of the pusher, said one-way connection means being disabled by the pusher upon movement thereof below said ledges.

17. Article dispensing apparatus comprising means for supporting a plurality of stacks of articles with the bottom articles of the stacks aligned in a row, a pusher movable from an initial position at one end of said supporting means to an advanced position at the other end of said supporting means and biased to return to initial position, said pusher also being movable between an articlepushing position wherein it is engageable with a bottom article for pushing it and a retracted position clear of bottom articles for return to initial position and being biased to assume its article-pushing position, means for moving the pusher from its initial position to its advanced position in steps with the length of each step corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row, said pusher being in its said article-pushing position as it advances thereby to engage the trailing article in said row and push it in leading direction and also to push articles in said row ahead of said trailing article, whereby the articles in said row are successively dispensed starting with the leading article in said row, means for latching the pusher in successively advanced intermediate positions spaced at intervals corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row, and means operable on the pusher as it reaches its advanced position for moving it to its retracted position and for disabling said latching means, the pusher then returning to its initial position under its return bias and, on reaching its initial position, returning to its article-pushing position.

18. Article dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein said means for moving the pusher comprises a rod reciprocable through a stroke the length of which corresponds to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row, said rod having shoulders spaced at intervals corresponding to said dimension, and a dog associated with the pusher engageable by said shoulders for efiecting a one-way connection between said pusher and rod for advancing said pusher one step upon movement of said rod in one direction and allowing return of said rod in the opposite direction without return of said pusher.

19. Article dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said latching means comprises a latch associated with said pusher, said supporting means having notches spaced lengthwise thereof at intervals corresponding to the dimension of an article lengthwise of said row in which said latch is engageable, the latch being movable by the pusher to a retracted position as the pusher moves to retracted position and being held therein as the pusher returns to initial position, the dog also being movable to a retracted position clear of said shoulders on the rod by the pusher as the pusher moves to retracted position and being held therein as the pusher returns to retracted position.

20. Apparatus for dispensing packs of cigarettes comprising a magazine including laterally spaced ledges for supporting a plurality of stacks of packs with the bottom packs of the stacks aligned enclwise in a row, a pusher movable from an initial position at one end of the ledges to an advanced position at the other end of the ledges and biased to return to initial position, said pusher also being movable between a raised position extending upward between the ledges wherein it is engageable with a bottom pack for pushing it and a lowered position below the bottom packs for return to initial position and being biased to assume its raised position, means for advancing the pusher from its initial position to its advanced position in steps with the length or" each step corresponding to the length of a pack, said pusher being raised as it advances thereby to engage the trailing pack in said row and push it in leading direction and also to push packs in said row ahead of said trailing pack whereby the: packs in said row are successively dispensed starting with the leading pack in said row, means for latching the pusher in successively advanced intermediate positions spaced at intervals corresponding to the length of a pack, and means operable on the pusher as it reaches its advanced position for moving it from its raised to its lowered position and for disabling said latching means, the pusher then returning to its initial position under its return bias below the bottom packs and, on reaching its initial position, returning to its raised position.

21. Article dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said means for moving the pusher comprises a rod below and parallel to said ledges adapted to be pulled out from a retracted position a distance corresponding to the length of a pack and being biased to return to retracted position, said rod having forwardly facing shoulders spaced at intervals corresponding to the length of a pack, and a dog associated with the pusher engageable by said shoulders for effecting a one-way connection between said pusher and rod for advancing said pusher one step upon pulling out the rod and allowing return of the rod without return of the pusher.

22. Article dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said latching means comprises a latch associated with said pusher, means having notches therein spaced lengthwise of the path of movement of the latch at intervals corresponding to the length of a pack in which said latch is engageable, the latch being movable by the pusher to a retracted position as the pusher moves to retracted position and being held therein as the pusher returns to initial position, the dog also being movable to a retracted position clear of said shoulders on the rod by the pusher as the pusher moves to retracted position and being held therein as the pusher returns to retracted position, said pusher having a head thereon engageable with the bottoms of the ledges for holding it down in lowered position as it returns.

UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited in the file of this patent 1,564,540 Dinwiddie Dec. 8, 1925 1,617,689 Ramsey Feb. 15, 1927 2,111,739 Rodrigues Mar. 22, 1938 2,864,532 Gabrielsen Dec. 16, 1958 2,888,168 Gabrielsen et a1. May 26, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 788,093 Great Britain Dec. 23, 1957 

